Question
Should I save an AI image as PNG or JPEG?
Choose PNG for images with text, logos, sharp graphics or transparency, and for anything you will edit again. Choose JPEG for photographic images where a smaller file matters, such as web pages and email. Both work for printing at high quality.
PNG is lossless: every pixel is stored exactly, so lettering and sharp edges stay clean, but files are larger. JPEG is lossy: it discards detail the eye is less likely to notice, which works well for photos and badly for text, where it leaves fuzzy halos.
MDN's format guide gives the same rule: lossless for screenshots, diagrams, logos and line art; lossy for photographs. For websites, WebP or AVIF usually compress better than either.
Saving a JPEG again and again loses a little more detail each time, so keep a PNG master if you plan more edits.
| Use | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Poster or ad with text | PNG |
| Logo or graphic with transparency | PNG |
| Photo on a web page or in email | JPEG (or WebP) |
| Image you will edit again | PNG |
Source: MDN Web Docs, image file type and format guide, checked October 20, 2026.
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Last reviewed October 20, 2026 by ImageQuarry
Create an image. Edit it with words. Keep refining.
Keep a clean master
Save a lossless copy of the version you choose before you make more edits.
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